Fly swatting gun



Aug. 3, 1965 1.. SCHROEDER FLY SWATTING GUN Filed March 5. 1964 INVENTOR. [flu/IL ff/Kat'ozg BY Ma,

United States Patent 3,197,917 FLY SWATTING GUN Louis L. Schroeder, 7517 Kenwood Ave, Wauwatosa, Wis. Filed Mar. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 349,683 12 Claims. (Cl. 43-135) This invention relates to a fly swatting gun.

The gun functions by means of a swatting vane similar to that of a conventional swatter but different in being movably instead of rigidly jointed to its arm. This vane, unlike its counterpart, which is usually swung in a kind of arc, is caused to approach its target in a straight line like an arrow, serving its swatting purpose at the end of forward travel by forceful rotation on its own axis at its joint with the arm (hereinafter called slide).

In the basic constructive elements a pistol grip handle provides ways for a slide which, in the preferred embodiment shown, is skeletonized, being made up of parallel wires connected near their respective ends. A trigger mounted on the handle releasably engages the slide near is forward end to hold it in retracted position. Rubber bands constitute a preferred form of springs means for urging the slide forwardly, anchorages being provided for the bands on the handle and slide. At the forward end of the slide is a swatting vane, preferably both flexible and foraminous. The base or shank of this vane is pivoted to the slide for rotation upon a transverse axis, and has the forward end of a flexible cord-like tension element wrapped pulley-like around its axis and secured to bias the vane for rotation. The tension element extends rearward through bearing openings in the handle and supports a cushion stop just ahead of its anchorage at the rear end of the slide.

1 The functioning of the gun upon trigger release results from the biasing influence of. the tension element upon the swatting Vane during only the latter part of the shooting cycle. Initially, when the slide is in its retracted position, that is, cocked, the total length of the tension element between its terminations is such that it will permit the vane to be folded or disposed rearward into an unbiased reclining position overlying both slide and handle. Thus, in the forward travel of the vane toward its target, the relatively narrow shank is leading the more fanned-out portion. This minimizes the retarding effect of air friction.

The point at which the biasing effect of the tension element takes place during the shooting cycle is determined by the location of the cushion stop fixed to the rearward of the tension element somewhat ahead of its anchorage. The location is such that, upon triggering, when the slide, tension element and yet unbiased vane move forward from the retracted position, this stop moving forward also will impinge at an optimum point toward the end of slide travel on a surface at the rear of the handle and thus be brought to an abrupt halt. The continuing forward movement of the slide itself will from now on set up a tautness and strain in the tension element between the stop and the swatting vane ahead. This tautness, by means of the pulley-like wrapping of the tension element around the shank of the vane, tends to rotate it about it trans-' verse axis.

In operation, then, the vane first moves straight forward, then rises and moves circularly until stopped by an object or surface (or, swinging around almost full circle, by meeting the underside of the slide).

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device as it appears with the slide cocked and the vane flat, part of the swattingvane being broken away.

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the device as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a View in side elevation fragmentarily illustrating the slide in its advanced position with the vane erected for action upon a vertical surface such as the wall fragmentarily illustrated in diagrammatic form.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective fragmentarily illustrating in relatively separated positions blocks used at the rear of the slide as an anchorage for the elastic band spring.

The trigger grip handle it) has on its upper side spaced bosses 12 and 1 which provide bearings or ways in which are reciprocable the wires 16 and 1.3 which constitute the side portions of a slide generically designated by reference character 20. At their rear ends the wires are connected by a transverse member 22 which is best shown in FIG. 5 and includes a rearwardly open channel 24 for reasons hereinafter explained. At a point spaced somewhat from the forward ends of the wires 16 and 18 there is a cross member 26 which connects and spaces the wires and has a downwardly and forwardly projecting flange at 28 which can be engaged by the hooked end 3% of the trigger detent 32 to hold the slide cocked. This detent is pivoted at 34 to the handle grip and is subject to clockwise bias about the pintle 34 as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. The bias is provided by a length of clock spring 36 which is attached to the finger piece 33 of the trigger. The bias of the trigger tends to engage its hooked end 30 with the flange 2-8 of the slide to hold the slide in its rearmost or cocked position, in which it is illustrated in FIG. 2.

Beyond the cross member 26, the wire side members 16 and 18 of slide 26) have inwardly turned ends 17 and 19 as best shown in PEG. 1 to engage the opening an in the mounting portion 42 of the fly swatting vane 44. This vane may be made in any appropriate manner. It is preferably foraminous, being provided with openings 46 which readily pass air but are insuificiently large to permit a fly or other insect to escape the impact of the vane. The vane is also desirably flexible and in practice may conveniently be made of thin rubber or flexible synthetic resin and connected by molding or otherwise to the mounting 42.

The entire slide, and the vane 44 pivotally mounted at the end thereof, is biased from right to left as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In lieu of wire springs for this purpose, it is preferred to use elastic bands 48 and 5th for which laterally projecting anchorages 52 and 54 are provided on the boss 12 of the pistol grip handle 14). Conventional rubber bands are appropriate. Other bosses 56 and 58 project laterally from the rear end of the slide 20. See FIG. 5. These may conveniently be formed on separately fabricated blocks lid and 62 pushed onto the straight rear ends 57 of wires 16 and 18 extending slightly beyond cross member 22 and seated in channel 24. These blocks are held frictionally and have holes at 59 into which the rear ends 5] of wires 16 and 18 are received to pin the respective blocks in the channel 24 of cross member 22.

The blocks have complementary beveled surfaces at 64 and 66. Together these surfaces provide a notch 68 for the end of a tension element 70 which triggers the erection of the vane. Element 70 is preferably knotted as shown at 72. for anchorage in the notch. All four bosses 5'2, 54, 56, 58 preferably include holes through which the rubber bands are threaded and looped to trap them. (See holes 7 1 in FIG. 5.) Splitting the rear anchorage into two parts facilitates fastening of the bands.

ment 7% extends through openings in the two bosses 12 and 14, one such opening being shown at 78 in FIG. 4. The tension element passes over the cross member 26 near the front end of the slide and then extends downwardly beneath the mounting member 42 of vane 44, the lower end of mounting member 42 preferably being rounded as shown at Sh so that it acts like a segment of a pulley. The end portion 82 of the tension element extends through the mounting member 42 and is anchored by a knot. The tension element may very well comprise a thread or cord, a length of fish line made of synthetic resin being ideal for the purpose.

The length of the tension element 753 in relation to the length of the rubber band springs 48 and St) is such that, in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 3, the springs 4-8 and 5d are almost relieved of bias whereas the tension element 7% is taut and. maintained under tension by the residual bias of the springs. On the other hand, when the slide is pushed to the rear and cocked, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the tension member is substantially free of bias and the swatting vane 44 can readily be folded to overlie the handle as shown.

In use, the operator uses the handle to hold the cocked device at a point spaced from the intended victim by a distance approximating the length of movement of the slide. In PEG. 3 a wall is fragmentarily illustrated at $6 and it may be assumed that there is an insect on the wall which is to be exterminated. If the insect were on a table or the like, the operation'would be the same except that the vane would rotate another 90 to extend horizontally as shown on the left in FIG. 2.

With the device held as described, the operator uses finger pressure on the part 38 to release the tri er, whereupon the springs 43 and 5d project the slide rapidly forwardly. There is a very great advantage in having the vane horizontal at this time, since it then offers relatively 'little resistance to the forward movement of the slide. In fact, such air pressure .as it encounters during the rapid forward movement of the slide tends to hold the vane in its streamlined horizontal position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the elastic bumper cushion '74 encounters boss 14, however, the tension element 70 is immediately brought to rest. During such residual slide movement as is possible, the tension element rotates the mounting member 4-2 of the swatting vane 44 to erect the vane, causing it to move toward and beyond an upright position. If the device has been properly spaced from the wall, the vane will encounter the wall with considerable impact and normally will tend to flex as shown inFIG. 3. Upon being removed from the wall, the vane 44- will continue to be pulled downwardly by the tension member until the vane hangs beneath the slide. As soon as the slide is again cocked in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vane is readily swung, without resistance, to the streamlined position in which it is shown in these views.

I claim:

ll. An insect swatting gun comprising a handle having bearing surfaces providing a way, a slide reciprocable upon the way between advanced and retracted positions, means for actuating the slide toward its advanced position, a swatting vane, means including a transverse pintle pivotally connecting the vane with the slide, the vane normally lying substantially parallel with the direction of slide reciprocation during slide actuation toward its advanced position, and means for rotating said vane as the slide approaches said advanced position, the slide actuating means comprising spring means for which the slide and handle have respective anchorages, the handle having an elongated upper end with laterally spaced apertures providing said bearing surfaces, the slide compris ing laterally spaced wires in said apertures and front and rear transversely extending means for connecting said wires, and blocks detachably mounted on the rear coni necting means and having lateral projections constituting said spring anchorages of the slide.

2. An insect swatting gun according to claim 1 in which the rear connecting means has a channel in which the blocks are disposed and pins in said channel engaged in holes with which the blocks are provided.

3. An insect swatting gun according to claim 1 in which the vane rotating means comprises a tension element having a rear end connection with the slide and a forward end connection with a vane-mounting member having a surface offset from the pintle and about which said tension element is trained, the said tension element having a stop cushion positioned for engagement with the handle during movement of the slide toward said advanced position, whereby to arrest movement of the tension element during continued movement of the slide, at least one of the said blocks providing the rear end connection of the tension element with the slide.

4. An insect swatting gun according to claim 3 in which the blocks have complementary opposed surfaces and the tension element is engaged between said surfaces and has a knot engaged with said blocks.

5. In an insect swatting gun, the combination with a handle and a slide reciprocable in bearings with which the handle is provided, of a rubber band spring for advancing the slide with respect to the handle, the handle and the slide having laterally projecting bosses provided with apertures through which the ends of the rubber band extend and thereupon encircle the respective bosses, the slide having a block detachably connected with its end and along which the said boss of the slide is formed, the slide further having a transversely channeled terminal member with a rerawardly projecting pin, said block being disposed in the channel of said member and provided with an aperture engaged on the pin, the tension of the rubber band spring holdingthe block on the pin and in the channel.

6. An insect swatting gun comprising a handle having way-providing means with laterally spaced bearings at the front and rear of said means, a slide comprising laterally spaced wires reciprocable in said bearings and having forward and rearward means for connecting the wires, a swatting vane normally prone on the slide and having a mounting member, means for pivotally connecting the mounting member to the said forward means of the slide for oscillation of the vane on a transverse axis between its said prone position and any forward swatting position, a pair of rubber band springs connected between the handle and the slide at opposite sides of the slide, the handle having laterally projecting apertured bosses with which the respective rubber band springs are engaged at their forward ends, the said rearward means for connecting the wires of the slide having a transverse channel in which there are rearwardly projecting pins, blocks detachably mounted in the channel and having proximate faces and also having apertures engaged on the respective pins and further provided with oppositely projecting lateral bosses having apertures in which the rear ends of the rubber band springs are respectively disposed, the rubber band springs having loops embracing the bosses last mentioned, a tension element connected about the mounting member of said vane and extending rearwardly through guide holes with which the handle is provided, said tension element having a knotted extremity engaged between the proximate faces of theblocks, a stop mounted on the tension element and engageable with the handle in an advanced position of the slide, whereby to arrest further movement of the tension element and to cause continued advance of the slide to oscillate said vane to swatting position. V

7. An insect swatting gun comprising a trigger-grip handle, a trigger disposed frontally thereon, an elongated body portion'superimposed on the handle and having longitudinal bearing means aligned directionally with the handle and trigger, a slide element reciprocable in said bearing means between an advanced position and a retracted position respectively forward and rearward from said handle, elastic means biasing the slide forwardly toward said advanced position, trigger releasable detent means for catching and holding the slide in said retracted position against said bias, a swatting vane comprising a blade and a shank, pintle means disposed transversely of the slide for pivotally connecting the shank to the forward end of the slide and upon which the blade is rotatable from a rearward prone position to erected fly-swatting position, and means for rotating said vane on said pintle means from prone toward erected position as the slide approaches its advanced position.

8. A11 insect swatting gun according to claim 7 in which said releasable detent means comprises a flange on said slide near its forward end, and a releasable hook which is connected with said trigger, said hook being biased to catch and hold said flange and thereby to hold the slide as the slide is moved to its retracted position, pressing of the trigger serving to retract the hook from flange engagement against its bias, to release its hold on the slide and permit said elastic means to propel the slide and blade forwardly.

9. An insect swatting gun according to claim 7 in which the vane rotating means comprises a cord-like tension element which is connected at one end to said vane at a point on its shank across the axis of said pintle means from the blade, said element thence extending rearward along the slide and having guide means therefor incorporated in said body, said element having a connection with a rear end portion of the slide, said element having mounted on it a stop means located between said guide means and its connection with the slide, and for which the body is provided with an abutment which said stop means engages as the element is pulled forward in the advance of the slide, said abutment thereby arresting forward movement of the element, which in turn, by means of the connection of the element with said shank, initiates erection and forward rotation of the blade about the said pintle means.

10. An insect swatting gun comprising a trigger-grip handle, an elongated body superimposed on said handle and incorporating bosses respectively disposed substantially in front of and offset rearwardly from said handle, said bosses containing laterally spaced and longitudinally aligned apertures providing front and rear bearing ways, a slide having laterally spaced portions reciprocable along said ways between retracted and advanced positions, spring means for biasing said slide toward its advanced position, releasable detent means for freely accepting and holding the slide in retracted position, the slide being movable to its advanced position under bias of said spring when the detent means is released, a swatting vane comprising a shank and a blade, transverse pintle means for pivotally connecting said shank to the front end of said slide and upon Which said blade is rotatable on said pintle means, said pintle means allowing said blade to lie substantially prone rearwardly of said pintle means during slide retraction and during its actuation by said spring means toward the advanced position, and means for forwardly rotating and erecting said vane from said prone to a swatting position as the slide is moved toward its advanced position.

11. An insect swatting gun according to claim 10 in which the laterally spaced portions of said slide comprise laterally spaced rods freely movable in said apertures, the rods being straight and parallel for at least the portion that reciprocates in the ways, and transversely extending members connecting said rods at their forward ends ahead of and their rearward ends behind the front and rear bosses.

12. An insect swatting gun according to claim 10 in which said spring means comprise lengths of elastic material having a forward anchorage provided at the forward end of said ways and rearward anchorage at the rearward end of said slide.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 267,679 11/82 Crandall 12417 1,356,371 10/20 Jolly 43135 1,857,757 5/32 Kirkby 43135 2,140,875 12/38 Kahler 43135 2.151.242 3/39 Souply 43135 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INSECT SWATTING GUN COMPRISING A HANDLE HAVING BEARING SURFACE PRIVIDING A WAY, A SLIDE RECIPROCABLE UPON THE WAY BETWEEN ADVANCED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS, MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE SLIDE TOWARD ITS ADVANCED POSITION, A SWATTING VANE, MEANS INCLUDING A TRANSVERSE PINTLE PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE VANE WITH THE SLIDE, THE VANE NORMALLY LYING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE DIRECTION OF SLIDE RECIPROCATION DURING SLIDE ACTUATION TOWARD ITS ADVANCED POSITION, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID VANE AS THE SLIDE APPROACHES SAID ADVANCED POSITION, THE SLIDE ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING SPRING MEANS FOR WHICH THE SLIDE AND HANDLE HAVE RESPECTIVE ANCHORAGES, THE HANDLE HAVING AN ELONGATED UPPER END WITH LATERALLY SPACED APERTURES PROVIDING SAID BEARING SURFACES, THE SLIDE COMPRISING LATERALLY SPACED WIRES IN SAID APERTURES AND FRONT AND REAR TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID WIRES, AND BLOCKS DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON THE REAR CONNECTING MEANS AND HAVING LATERAL PROJECTIONS CONSTITUTING SAID SPRING ANCHORAGES OF THE SLIDE. 